Evening, November 2

My soul, feelest thou this holy shuddering at the sins of others?
for otherwise thou lackest inward holiness. David's cheeks were wet
with rivers of waters because of prevailing unholiness, Jeremiah desired
eyes like fountains that he might lament the iniquities of Israel,
and Lot was vexed with the conversation of the men of Sodom. Those
upon whom the mark was set in Ezekiel's vision, were those who sighed
and cried for the abominations of Jerusalem. It cannot but grieve
gracious souls to see what pains men take to go to hell. They know
the evil of sin experimentally, and they are alarmed to see others
flying like moths into its blaze. Sin makes the righteous shudder,
because it violates a holy law, which it is to every man's highest
interest to keep; it pulls down the pillars of the commonwealth. Sin
in others horrifies a believer, because it puts him in mind of the
baseness of his own heart: when he sees a transgressor he cries with
the saint mentioned by Bernard, "He fell today, and I may fall to-morrow."
Sin to a believer is horrible, because it crucified the Saviour; he
sees in every iniquity the nails and spear. How can a saved soul behold
that cursed kill-Christ sin without abhorrence? Say, my heart, dost
thou sensibly join in all this? It is an awful thing to insult God
to His face. The good God deserves better treatment, the great God
claims it, the just God will have it, or repay His adversary to his
face. An awakened heart trembles at the audacity of sin, and stands
alarmed at the contemplation of its punishment. How monstrous a thing
is rebellion! How direful a doom is prepared for the ungodly! My soul,
never laugh at sin's fooleries, lest thou come to smile at sin itself.
It is thine enemy, and thy Lord's enemy. View it with detestation,
for so only canst thou evidence the possession of holiness, without
which no man can see the Lord.